Greenhorns and Rivals: Weathered
by Mahone-chic-89
Summary: DEADLIEST CATCH: Sig and Edgar Hansen have been fishing the Bering Sea for many years and it's starting to show. The two strong-willed brothers begin to fight more than usual and the legacy of the Hansens may be nearing an unpleasant and unwanted end...
1. Prologue

Greenhorns and Rivals: Weathered

**So I had this idea (thanks to my amazing friend Emily) about a story centering on the ever-growing tension that we've seen between Sig and Edgar this past season. Then I had an idea to include my OC Ms. Jack Harper in the story as well to add some more depth to it. Basically this story goes right along with the "Greenhorns and Rivals" saga. I'm going to have it placed right after Edgar and Jack become engaged. She's been on the Northwestern for three years now and that's when the following events occur. I love Jack Harper and the stories I've written about her and the crew of the Northwestern and I missed writing about her so…here it is! The fourth installment of my Greenhorns and Rivals saga! Please read and review! : )**

_Weathered – By Creed_

_Cause we are rusted and weathered,_

_Barely holding together…_

_The sun shines and I can't avoid the light,_

_I think I'm holding onto life too tight,_

_Ashes to ashes and dust to dust,_

_Sometimes I feel like giving up…_

Prologue

Morning crept up on the crew unexpectedly. The sun threw bright, orange rays across the bow of the gleaming white boat as the crew finished tying a stack of pots together on the long deck. With a final tug of the line, a young woman with auburn hair smirked triumphantly. She gazed up at the wheelhouse and saw her captain standing on the upper deck, leaning on the rail and watching his crew prepare for the new Opillio crab fishing season. His thinning blonde hair moved slightly as a light breeze blew over the boat from the ocean that lay beyond the harbor. He rolled down the sleeves of his light blue button-up shirt and crossed his arms over his chest, attempting to gain a bit of warmth from the action.

"Wooooohooooo!"

Jack Harper nearly jumped three feet in the air as an overly hyper man ran over and snatched her up, tossing her into the air and catching her as she landed back on her feet.

"Edgar Hansen!" she screeched as she took a few careful steps away from him, attempting to avoid another attack, "What in the world?"

"Oh don't tell me you aren't psyched!" he laughed as he punched her in the arm, "I mean, we're going back out to your favorite place: the ocean, and you're gonna marry the handsomest Alaskan crab fisherman in the world!"

Jack smirked at that, "Not that there are many Alaskan crab…"

"Oh stop," said Edgar, cutting her off as he hugged her.

Jack laughed and pushed him away, "Stop it! Your brother is up there watching us," she hissed quietly, "We have to at least pretend like we're working or he'll freak out…again."

Edgar frowned at that. Sig had been unusually edgy lately and it was starting to play on everyone's nerves. The crew chose to ignore it and just do as they were told. Even Sig couldn't destroy the excited and upbeat mood on the Northwestern. Since Jack had joined the crew, things were moving smoothly and everyone was learning to get along…well, everyone except Edgar and Sig, but what else was knew? Sig and Edgar were known to feud once and awhile. They had similar personalities and above all that, they were brothers. It seemed only natural that the two had squabbled a little last night.

"Oh, Edgar let it go," murmured Jack, "He meant well, you know that."

Edgar sneered and rolled his eyes, "Yeah…okay."

Jack sighed and shot Edgar a disapproving look, "Oh come on…you two always bicker at least once on a trip. Last night was no different."

"Yeah, I guess," muttered Edgar, "It's awful early for him to be this tense though."

"He's probably just worried about the crab…he always worries about crab," said Jack with a good-natured laugh, "Once we haul our first money-making pot he'll loosen up a bit."

"Tie her off boys, let's hit the road!" shouted a rather chipper-looking Matt Bradley as he, Norman and Jake began to untie the Northwestern from the dock. Edgar and Jack rushed over to help them as the roar of the engine signaled the beginning of the season for the Northwestern crew.

"Sig's heading out early this year," said Nick as he walked out from the galley.

"You mean earlier than _usual_?" laughed Jake as he flashed a bright smile in his uncle's direction.

Norman smirked, "Well, he is being rather irritable," he said as he glanced in Edgar's direction, remembering the little feud from the night prior, "That's a clear sign he wants to take off and take off as soon as possible."

Edgar muttered something unintelligible under his breath at that and finished coiling the line as the Northwestern slowly pulled away from the dock. He looked up just in time to see his fiancé give him a knowing and expectant look. Edgar cocked an eyebrow in confusion as he watched Jack walk over to the side of the boat. She flung one leg over the rail and started climbing around to the front. Edgar smirked as he followed her. If Jack held on to any superstitions at all, this was the one she was adamant about keeping. Every season she stood on the bow of the boat as it pulled out of the harbor, the crew had been incredibly successful and caught their entire quota in a timely manner. She wasn't about to quit her little tradition now.

Jack climbed up to the very point of the bow and closed her eyes as the wind rushed through her auburn hair, making it gleam in the early morning light. The smell of the salt water and the bitter cold that tainted the wind made her heart soar. There was nothing quite like being on a crab boat…nothing in the world.

Jack felt warm hands grip her from behind and she smiled as she recognized the way the hands fit perfectly around her thin waist.

"Keeping up tradition I see," murmured Edgar into her ear.

Jack trembled slightly at the sound of his gravelly voice so close to her face. She should be used to this by now but she wasn't. She wasn't sure she ever would be and that was just fine with her.

"You know it," she replied, "Gotta make sure we get the crab again."

"We always do."

"Knock on wood," said Jack with a smirk as she leaned back to give Edgar a light peck on the lips.

She turned back to face the opening of the harbor and took in the sight of the vast Bering Sea. Her heart soared as the boat picked up speed, racing for the entrance to the open sea. Feelings of fear, uncertainty, exhilaration, excitement, freedom and, strongest of all, love, coursed through her as the Northwestern left the safety of the harbor and made its way out to the fishing grounds. She was on the best fishing vessel in the crab fishing fleet with her closest friends and the love of her life, doing what she lived to do…nothing could take this away from her, nothing…or so she thought…

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	2. Tension Mounts

**So I decided to write another update early since this weekend will be kind of crazy with family and friends and I wasn't sure if I would have the chance to update tomorrow or not. Thank you to those who are reading and reviewing thus far! I hope you all have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend! **

Tension Mounts

"Let's go!" roared Sig over the loud hailer.

Jack flinched at the sound of his angry voice as she hurried to help Jake with the bait. They exchanged nervous glances as they passed. Nick grumbled about his aching back as he helped tie the pot door shut and launched it over the side of the boat.

"What's he in such a hurry for?" complained Nick, "We never go this fast this early."

Norman shrugged as he operated the hydraulics. Edgar tied up the next pot to the crane and Norman guided it over to the launcher.

"This is ridiculous," said Edgar, his voice on the edge of a snarl.

Jack shot him a warning look, "I know, but we just have to suck it up and do it. Let's not start any fights this early on okay?"

"You mean any _more_ fights?" corrected Jake as he rolled his eyes and shot Edgar a look.

"What the hell, junior?" snapped Edgar, "I didn't start that fight, I just finished it!"

"Yeah at the expense of the rest of us!" sneered Jake as he filled a bait bucket, "Sig's been furious since you two were at each other's throats."

"What'd you guys fight about?" asked Matt, sounding somewhat interested as he started to untie the pot door.

"Nothing," muttered Edgar, "We just disagreed about a few things."

"Like?" pressed Norman.

"Like…how to run the boat, whose area is whose to command…the usual stuff," said Edgar quietly as he and Jack baited the pot.

Jack sighed and gave Edgar an exasperated look, "You argued with Sig over how to run his boat? Ugh no wonder he's irritable!"

"_His_ boat?" asked Edgar incredulously, "It's my boat just as much as it is his and I should have a say in how things go. But Czar Sig says his word is 'law'…whatever the hell that's supposed to mean."

"Norman never causes problems," said Nick as he nudged his good friend, Norman Hansen, "Do ya Norm?"

Norman looked down and shrugged as if he were embarrassed to suddenly have everyone looking at him at the same time.

"It's cause I don't really care," he said sheepishly, "I mean…I'm a deckhand, I do what I'm told. Edgar is deck boss though. He runs the boat just as much as Sig does, so…I have to take my little bro's side on this one. Edgar has every right to discuss how things are done here as Sig does."

"Thank _you_!" said Edgar loudly while shooting a glare in his fiancé's direction.

Jack rolled her eyes in exasperation, "I just don't see how it's worth it. It's not worth the anger and the tension, not to mention the longer and harder working hours he'll give us now."

Jake moaned at that, "Do you think he'll make us work through the night? We've already pulled fourteen hours! My hands hurt already."

Nick snickered, "Hey we'll be lucky if all he does is make us work through the night."

Matt grumbled under his breath, "Thanks to Mr. Deck boss, we'll never get any sleep."

Edgar shot Matt an angry glare just as Jack stepped in between them.

"Okay boys let's settle down, okay?" she said as she finished tying up a bait bag, "What's done is done. Let's just do our jobs and we'll let Edgar and Sig settle out their differences on their own, okay?"

The crew muttered and grumbled a little, but agreed to Jack's assessment. The feuding brothers were on their own on this one…

…

Meanwhile Sig was up in the wheelhouse, fuming mad. How dare his little brother challenge his authority like that? Although it had been several hours since their heated talk the night before, Sig felt just as angry and unsettled as he did when they had talked.

Edgar had demanded that he control the deck and that Sig stay out of it. He had the audacity to say that Sig's place was in the wheelhouse, not the deck so he should butt out. As far as Sig was concerned, he was the captain and therefore it was his job to control the entire ship. If Edgar wasn't instructing the deckhands properly then Sig was to step in. That's how he liked it. He liked his control. It made him feel comfortable…secure.

He looked down at the monitor and watched as his crew baited pots for the next set. As Edgar came into view, Sig noticed the angry lines on his face and his clenched jaw. Edgar's hands were balled up into angry fists as he moved with quick, jerky motions to prepare the pots. Jack looked annoyed and frustrated while Norman and Jake looked nervous. Nick and Matt looked indifferent to the whole ordeal and just rolled their eyes from time to time as they worked.

Sig sighed and ran a hand over his tired eyes. Since when did he get this tired this fast? He groaned to himself as he realized it probably had something to do with his age. He cursed quietly as he sipped on his coffee, attempting to jolt his droopy eye-lids open for a few more hours before he got Edgar to take the first wheel watch. He grimaced as he thought about having to speak to his little brother again. That kid got on his nerves so easily it was ridiculous.

Sig glanced back down at the monitor and watched as Edgar man-handled a pot over to the launcher. If his brother didn't start acting properly and doing his job the way Sig wanted him to, then he would just have to put Edgar in his place…whether he liked it or not…

**Please Review! **


	3. Boosting Moral

**Sorry for the wait…busy weekend and even busier start to the week! Thank you so much to those who are still reading and reviewing! This chapter isn't "huge" per-say when it comes to the overall plot line but it has some humor in it that I thought you guys would appreciate. Since this story is pretty intense I figured a chapter of humor/fun would lighten things up a bit before I delve into the deep, dark stuff. LOL : ) Enjoy!**

**Also: I have been working on a story called "Wait for Me" all about what happened to Phil Harris with some fictional elements thrown in as well, including my new OC Summer. If you are interested check it out!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Deadliest Catch characters/people aside from my OC Jack Harper**

Boosting Moral

"Edgar!" shouted Sig over the loud hailer.

The entire crew of the Northwestern flinched and glanced around nervously as they waited for whatever would happen next. They had been working for over eighteen hours now with little-to-no confrontations between the two feuding, hard-headed Norwegians and preferred to keep it that way.

"Brace yourselves," muttered Nick, "Hurricane Sig is on the rampage."

"What?" barked Edgar into the speaker near the coiler.

"Take the wheel…I need some sleep."

"And what about my crew?" demanded Edgar, "They need a bite to eat."

"Fine," snarled Sig, "They have twenty minutes then they are to set pots. I want an entire string laid out before I wake up!"

Edgar cursed Sig under his breath as he stomped off the deck and made his way up to the wheelhouse. The crew followed tentatively and settled around the galley table as Matt and Jack started working on throwing together a quick meal for the weary crew.

"If Sig and Edgar got into a fist fight, who would you put your money on?" asked Matt as he handed Nick a plate of food.

"Sig…he may be older but he's mean as a snake!" laughed Nick.

"I say Edgar," said Jake, loyally, "He'd move faster. Sure Sig may be meaner, but there's no way he'd be able to catch Edgar."

"Unless he caught him by surprise," chimed in Norman with an amused grin.

"I say Norman could beat both of them blindfolded," smirked Jack as she handed Norman a plate of greasy food.

Norman smiled sheepishly and shook his head while the rest of the crew laughed in agreement.

"Norman kicks ass," said Nick with a smirk as he nudged his friend.

"Let's just pray they don't ever get into a fist fight," muttered Jack after a moment, "That'd be awful…what would we do? Try and break them apart?"

Nick shook his head, "Hell no, let 'em get it out of their system."

"And it'd be free entertainment," laughed Norman as Jake nodded in agreement.

Jack rolled her eyes, "Men," she muttered as she slid in to join the rest of the crew at the galley table.

…

"Here's where I want the pots set," grumbled Sig as Edgar stood behind his chair, "Twenty minutes…that's what you have to eat and do whatever the hell else you want to do."

Edgar didn't even bother replying as Sig stood and left the wheelhouse. He glared after his older brother, anger, frustration and a touch of bitterness grinding on his already-frayed nerves. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he glanced out over the darkening seas.

A couple minutes later he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He groaned silently to himself as he felt his body tense up, waiting to hear Sig's voice.

"Hey."

Edgar instantly relaxed when he heard Jack's quiet greeting. He smiled as he turned to face her.

"Hey, baby how are you?" he crooned as she walked over to him.

"Fine…I was just about to ask you the same thing," she said, lifting an eyebrow as she climbed up into his lap, straddling him.

"Well…I was a little tense but I'm feeling a lot better right now," said Edgar with a cocky grin.

Jack laughed quietly as she leaned in and kissed him. Her tongue flicked over his teeth and Edgar moaned slightly as he opened his mouth, granting her the entrance she was asking for. As their kisses grew deeper and more needy, Edgar gently took off his fiancé's shirt and ran his hands across her smooth, flat stomach. His hands found the clasp of her bra and flicked it off with ease. As he massaged her, Jack moaned quietly in his ear and whispered Edgar's name. The sound was incredibly enticing and Edgar cast a quick glance at the clock.

"We only have ten minutes," he whispered, his voice ragged with desire.

Jack gave him a confident look as she adjusted her position on his lap, "I know."

Edgar raised an eyebrow as a grin stretched from one ear to the other, "Work's for me…"

…

"What the hell is taking her so long?" muttered Jake irritably, "Seriously…it doesn't take frickin' twenty minutes to give Edgar his food!"

The rest of the crew laughed slightly as they gave each other knowing looks. A wave crashed over the rail and caught Jake by surprise. He cursed as the cold water washed over him.

"Is Edgar even driving the boat?" he exclaimed, "This is getting freaking annoying!"

"No but I bet he's driving something else," said Norman with a smirk on his face.

Nick gave Norman a disgusted look and pretended to barf as he shook his head, "That's messed up."

Matt grimaced too, "Too much info there, Norm…its bad enough we know what they're doing."

"What?" asked Jake, "Who's doing what?"

"More like whose doing who," laughed Norman, unable to control himself.

"Norm!" shouted Nick and Matt at the same time.

Norman just laughed harder as he watched Matt and Nick's faces wrinkle in disgust.

Just then, Jake realized what they were talking about. He glanced around at the three deckhands in shock.

"No! You don't think…no!" he shouted.

"Well they are engaged," said Nick with a chuckle.

"But on the _boat_?" asked Jake, still in denial.

"Oh please," said Matt rolling his eyes, "Those two were goin' at it long before they were engaged."

Jake shook his head in disbelief, "Great…I love knowing that my two best friends are doing each other in the wheelhouse…that's just great."

"Well Jake what do you think they were gonna do when they got married?" laughed Nick.

"I know…it's just…weird," said Jake, shuddering, "I don't like to think about it."

Just then, Jack walked out on the deck. Jake gave her a disgusted look while the rest of the crew just laughed to themselves.

Jack shrugged as she put an arm around Jake. Jake backed away slightly, still giving Jack a skeptical look.

"You're disgusting, you know that?"

Jack laughed, "Oh shut up, Jake."

Jake shuddered again while the crew continued laughing and preparing pots.

"Why?" asked Jake, incredulously, "On the boat, I mean…its weird!"

Jack shrugged, "Well with Sig and Edgar at each other's throats I guess I figured I would just...'boost the moral' a bit."

Jake pretended to puke as they launched the first pot, "Can't you like…just bake him cookies or something?"

Jack laughed, "Nah wouldn't be as effective…besides, now we have a very happy captain to work under for the next few hours!"

"Amen to that!" agreed Matt, nodding vigorously.

As the crew launched the pots over the side of the rail, Jack couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen later on. This was only the beginning of Opillio season after all, and there was no way that the two brothers were going to make it through without more fights. Edgar was miserable…she knew that. She could see it in his eyes. He hated this. She frowned slightly as she thought about the worst case scenario: In order to end the fighting and get away from his control-freak older brother, Edgar might quit…

**Please review!**


	4. Operation Brother Rehabilitation

**Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing this story! The plot is beginning to form in my mind a little more clearly so things should be moving along a bit faster now. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone aside from my OC Jack Harper **

Operation Brother Rehabilitation

"Launch the damn pot!" shouted Sig over the loud hailer.

Jack and the rest of the crew flinched at Sig's angry tone. It had been like this for a few days now but things were beginning to grow worse. Edgar was more tense and angry than any of them had ever remembered seeing him and Sig was growing more impatient with his little brother. Edgar's little acts of rebellion were starting to fray the last nerve Sig was hanging on.

"I'll launch it when I'm ready!" roared back Edgar as he through an old codfish at the wheelhouse door.

Suddenly the door opened and Sig stormed out onto the small, second-story deck space.

"Launch it NOW!" he roared in absolute fury.

Edgar turned around and looked up at his older brother, a look of disgust and disbelief on his face.

"Get back in your wheelhouse and drive the damn boat and let me and my crew do what we gotta do down here!" shouted Edgar.

Jack and Jake exchanged petrified looks as they busied themselves with preparing the bait for the next few pots.

"This is bad…this is very, very bad," muttered Jake over and over.

"I know," whispered Jack, "It's actually scary…really scary. I've never seen them this angry at each other before."

"Don't tell me what to do!" shouted Sig, "I'm the captain of this boat and what I say goes!"

"Not when it comes to MY deck! That's your damn wheelhouse and this is MY deck! You run the boat, mess with numbers and I move the steel down here!"

"Damn it, Edgar if you don't do what I say you're getting off this boat when we offload!"

"No, you know what?" shouted Edgar as he through the buoys overboard, "Forget it…I'm not doing this anymore. For twenty-two freaking years I've slaved away on this boat, and for what? Out of obligation? Because daddy did it? No, I'm done it's not worth this. I quit!"

Jack froze in horror as she looked over at Edgar, her mouth gaping in shock. Jake let out a little squeak of surprise as he too froze in the middle of filling a bait bag. The entire crew seemed to be frozen in place as they waited for Sig's response.

"Good riddance!" snarled Sig as he stormed back into the wheelhouse and slammed the door shut.

"Edgar…" said Matt after a moment.

"Don't," said Edgar, his voice tight with emotion, "Just…don't."

For the first time ever…Edgar walked off the deck…

…

After the crew finished setting the pots, minus their deck boss, they filed into the galley to grab a bite to eat.

"So what happens now?" mumbled Matt, looking dejected.

"I dunno," muttered Norman as he ran a hand through his messy brown hair.

"I can't believe this!" shouted Jake, angry and hurt, "How can he just quit like that?"

Jack didn't say anything. She stood at the sink and watched the rest of the crew eat in silence. After a few moments she walked out of the galley and down the hall to the stateroom she and Edgar shared. She opened the door slowly and peeked inside.

"Ed?" she asked quietly.

Edgar glanced up from where he was laying on the bed. He sat up slowly and looked up at his fiancé, misery and anger burning in his eyes. Jack frowned slightly as she sank down on her knees in front of him.

"Are…are you really leaving?" she asked, not meeting his troubled gaze.

"Yeah," replied Edgar, his voice low and ragged, "I'm sorry Jack…I just can't deal with it anymore. My heart isn't in it…not like it used to be."

"Is there anything I could do to change your mind?" asked Jack, her voice barely above a whisper as she gazed hopefully up at Edgar.

Edgar winced slightly at the pain in her voice, "No, sweetheart…I'm sorry. I…I just have to leave."

Jack looked down quickly as she felt the moisture in her eyes begin to turn into tears. Edgar leaned down and kissed the top of her head, breathing in her scent as he wrapped his arms around her.

"What'll we do without you?" asked Jack, her voice trembling, "What will _I _do without you here?"

"Sig will restructure the crew…probably make you or Norm deck boss. And I'm still here. I'm not leaving you, just the boat. I'll always be here for you, Jack. I love you."

"It won't be the same without you," muttered Jack as she looked up at Edgar, "The crew is already depressed and moping."

Edgar smirked a little, "Nah they don't like me _that_ much."

"You'd be surprised," muttered Jack as she stood up to leave, "I better help clean up and head back out…I'll see you later."

Edgar nodded and watched Jack as she left their stateroom…his heart breaking slightly as he realized what his decision would mean for the two of them. Jack would be out to sea about 9 months out of the year…while he stayed back on land…

…

A few hours later, Sig called the crew off the deck and gave them a six hour reprieve while they steamed in-between strings.

Jack sat down at the galley table and sipped on a cup of coffee. Jake and Norman joined her a few minutes later. Nick and Matt joined the crew about half an hour after that. They sat in silence for a little while before Jake spoke up.

"We can't let it happen."

"It already has, kid," said Matt as he took a swig of coffee.

"No it hasn't," argued Jake, "We can stop this from happening."

"How?" asked Jack, giving Jake a doubtful look, "Edgar's pretty dead-set on his decision."

"We'll remind them of the way things used to be," said Norman as he and Jake exchanged knowing looks.

Jack narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "You two have been conspiring together?"

Norman smiled sheepishly and shrugged, "A little…while we were on deck. Things used to be a lot of fun around here. Ever since we were kids, Edgar, Sig and I always had a blast out here. The work was never easy but we were all pretty close and everyone loved what they did. But it's kind of lost the luster over the years. Sig and Edgar were never really close when they were young but they bonded while fishing out here. I've got several home-videos we took over the years with all of us fishing together and goofing off. Maybe we could get them to watch the videos and it'll remind them of the way things used to be?"

"Videos aren't going to change anything," muttered Nick, "I mean I think it's a good idea…but those two are so stubborn. It's going to take a lot for this to work."

"Well the videos would just be the beginning," urged Jake, "If we could get them to both join us for dinner one night, watch the videos, then talk to them about how much we appreciate them and how much we want Edgar to stay…I don't know, but we have to try something! We can't just let things end this way without at least trying to make things better."

Jack sighed and ran a hand through her tangled hair, "Okay…fine, we'll try it."

Jake and Norman exchanged excited looks and high-fived each other.

"But don't get too excited," warned Jack, "This might not work. We might have to just accept the fact that this is how things are going to be. But…I'm willing to give it a go."

Nick sighed, "Alright fine, I'm in…but no one blames me for anything if this goes wrong."

"Same here," grunted Matt.

"Alright," said Jake, practically bouncing in his seat, "Then it's settled…Operation Brother Rehabilitation is underway!"

Jack rolled her eyes, "Operation Brother Rehabilitation? Really?"

Jake glared at Jack playfully, "Yes…I came up with it."

"I couldn't tell," said Matt as he moved to avoid Jake's punch.

"Okay, whatever," laughed Jack, "Operation Brother Rehabilitation it is…let's just pray it works."

…

**Please Review!**


	5. Last Ditch Effort

**Thank you so much to everyone who is reading/reviewing! : ) Sorry for the long wait, I wanted to finish up my other story before I continued with this one. I also started another Deadliest Catch story and if any of you love Edgar you may like it. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own no one besides my OC Jack Harper**

Last Ditch Effort

"Oh come on Edgar, it's not gonna kill you!" protested Jake as he gave Edgar a pleading look.

Edgar sneered at that, "Yeah right…that's what you think."

Jake's shoulders slumped as he turned to give Jack an exasperated expression. Jack smirked slightly as she walked over to intervene.

"He's right you know," she said as she wrapped an arm around Edgar, "It won't kill you. And it might make you and Sig a bit more cheerful."

Edgar laughed at that, "Sig? Cheerful? I'm not sure those two words are ever put in the same sentence."

"Just give it a shot…for me? For the crew? Please?"

Edgar sighed when he looked down into his fiancé's pleading eyes. He sighed in resignation as he felt himself giving in.

"Fine."

Jake cheered and gave Jack a victorious high-five. Edgar glanced between the two young deckhands, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Come on," urged Jack before Edgar could ask any questions, "Nick and Matt are almost done cooking."

Edgar followed the overly-excited deckhands into the galley, his eyes still narrowed suspiciously as he contemplated what the two best friends were up to this time. As he entered the galley his eyes focused instantly on the hunched-over figure of his older brother. Sig sat at the galley table looking more irritable than usual as he glowered up at his crew. Nick and Matt were serving the food on plates and exchanging nervous, uncertain glances. Norman looked somewhat amused by the whole thing and sat next to Sig, smiling slightly to himself as he watched the crew nearly trip over themselves in the awkwardness of the moment.

"Okay," said Jake as everyone settled down, "We've compiled some videos, thanks to Norman, to show everyone while we have this special dinner. Just a few home vids to liven up the mood a bit."

Sig glowered even more at that as he cast an accusing look in Norman's direction. Norman just shrugged good-naturedly as he settled back in his seat to watch the videos. The rest of the crew fidgeted uneasily as they waited. Edgar shot Jack another suspicious look as the video started.

The opening scene was a shot of Sig in his late teens working with his dad at the rail of the Northwestern. His dad was showing him how to throw the hook and Sig seemed to be having a hard time with it. Edgar was in the background with a smug expression on his face as he watched his older brother miss on the hook again. Young Sig shot his brother a warning look as he tossed the hook again, this time catching the line. He shot little Edgar a victorious look and stuck out his tongue at him.

"Well some things never change," laughed Matt as the video moved to another scene.

The video progressed from Edgar and Sig lighting fireworks on deck to Sig's first season as captain of the Northwestern all the way up to last season's pranks.

By the time the video was over the crew was laughing and seemed more relaxed than they had been in a very long time. Jack glanced over at Edgar who had an amused expression on his face. She looked over at Sig and instantly felt her heart drop. Sig still wore an expression of frustration and irritation as he stood up to put his plate in the sink.

"When you're done fooling around, we have work to do," he said gruffly as he climbed back up into the wheelhouse.

The crew looked at each other in despair. Jake was staring at the table with a sad expression on his face. Edgar sighed as he looked at his crew.

"Nice try guys," he said quietly, "But I'm afraid this has gone on for way too long. I'm leaving the second we hit the dock."

Jake's face fell instantly and he gritted his teeth against the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. Jack looked like someone had just punched her in the stomach. She stood up abruptly and left the table, slamming her stateroom door behind her. Edgar frowned as he watched her leave, feeling a stab of guilt.

"I'm sorry," he muttered to the rest of the crew, "But this will never end until one of us is gone…and it's not fair to the rest of you. This is gonna end when we offload I promise."

"Yeah right," muttered Matt, "Sig's gonna be in a crappy mood whether you're here or not."

"But at least we won't be fighting and causing more tension," retorted Edgar, "With me gone he won't get as angry or upset anymore…he'll just be his usual grouchy self."

Edgar sighed as he stood up, "I better go talk to Jack...she's pretty upset."

Jake sneered, "Yeah I don't blame her…it's not fair."

Edgar ruffled Jake's hair, "I know, Junior…I know…"

…

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	6. Losing Focus

**Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing! I really appreciate all the feedback! : ) **

Losing Focus

As Edgar walked into the stateroom that he shared with his fiancé, Jack, he felt another stab of guilt. Jack was curled up on their bed, clutching a pillow and crying quietly. He frowned as he walked over and slid in next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice shaking, "I'm so sorry, Jack…but this is just how things have to be."

"No," snapped Jack as she sat up, "No they don't. You and Sig are such children! Why can't you two just shut up and fish?"

"Sig and I haven't been able to get along in a very long time, Jack," said Edgar quietly, "It's just been tolerable up until now. I can't deal with it anymore. I have to get outta here before I go insane. I'm sorry that it's hurting you and the crew. But in the long run I think it'll be for the best."

Jack snorted, "Yeah right."

Edgar sighed sadly as Sig's voice boomed over the intercom system.

"Get the hell outside NOW!"

Jack narrowed her eyes angrily as she stood and marched out of the room.

"Better hurry up," she muttered under her breath and she left.

Edgar sighed again as he ran a hand through his ruffled brown hair. No matter what he did he was going to end up hurting everyone he cared about. Staying meant having to deal with Sig and the arguments weren't getting any better with time. The more they argued the more upset Jack and the rest of the crew got. Edgar's solution made sense to him…if he took himself out of the equation then Sig wouldn't fight with him and the tension would go away. They'd have to adjust to him no longer being on the boat but in the long haul things would eventually work out.

"EDGAR!"

Edgar rolled his eyes, cursing Sig under his breath as he left the stateroom and headed outside to help haul pots.

…

Two days later…

The tension on the Northwestern had reached an all-time high as the gleaming white boat pulled into the harbor. Edgar avoided eye contact with his crew as they docked the boat. They all knew what this meant…Edgar was leaving. He had told the crew that the second they reached land he was gone.

Jack had been avoiding him like the plague. She was silent as she helped tie up the boat and prepare the hatches for their first offload.

Matt walked over to Edgar and gave him a hug, "Gonna miss you," he muttered, not looking in Edgar's eyes.

"Yeah…I'll miss you guys too," replied Edgar as a sullen-looking Jake Anderson walked over and hugged his mentor and best friend.

Jack hung back and pretended to be studying the boat as Edgar walked over to her.

"Hey," he said quietly as he wrapped his arms around her.

Jack felt the emotion she had been forcing down all morning give way. She turned and buried her head in Edgar's chest and cried quietly as she hugged him. Edgar forced down the lump in his throat as he held his fiancé. It would be another two months or so before they saw each other again and the two had rarely ever been apart.

Sig watched the sad scene from his position in the wheelhouse. He had actually been rather happy that his little brother was leaving. He was beginning to be a pain in the rear lately and it was going to be nice to have some peace and quiet. But as Sig watched Edgar and Jack say their goodbyes he felt a stab of guilt. Although things would operate a bit smoother without the two of them fighting all the time, the crew was going to have a hard time adjusting to the change.

Sig watched as Edgar turned and walked down the dock, his head low and his stride slow and unsteady. Jack wiped away the tears and forced herself to suck it up and keep working. The entire crew looked crestfallen and depressed by the whole situation as they began the offload.

"They're just going to have to suck it up," muttered Sig to himself as he watched the first brailer settle down into the hold, "They'll get over it."

…

"This sucks," muttered Jake dejectedly as the Northwestern pulled away from the dock.

The crew had gathered into the galley for coffee and snacks as Sig steered the vessel back out into the Bering Sea. They all looked miserable and depressed as they played a game of poker and sipped their coffee.

"Why do they have to be so stupid?" asked Jake when no one responded to his first complaint, "This is just stupid…this whole thing is just…stupid."

"Jake buy a thesaurus," smirked Nick, "You need to expand on your adjectives…you're getting repetitive."

Jake shot Nick an irritated look as he threw down his cards, "Whatever…I'm just pissed off."

"We all are," said Jack quietly.

Jake shot Jack an understanding look, "I'm sorry Jack…you out of all of us are probably taking this the hardest."

Jack shrugged, "I guess…I just wish things would have worked out."

Just then Sig entered the galley with a sigh. The crew grew quiet as they watched him pour a cup of coffee. Sig narrowed his eyes in irritation as he took in the sullen mood of his crew.

"Oh would you all suck it up already?" he growled.

Jack's jaw clenched in anger, but she refused to look up and meet Sig's gaze. Jake just glared angrily at the table while Nick, Matt and Norman continued their game of poker.

Sig sneered as he left the galley and stomped angrily back up to the wheelhouse. Jake glared after him and slammed his fist on the table angrily. He stood up and marched off to his stateroom and slammed the door behind him.

"Well," muttered Matt, "This should be a fun trip."

…

A few hours later Jack climbed the stairs and went into the wheelhouse. She made a bee-line for the co-captain's chair and sat down, curling up into a ball as she gazed out at the unusually calm Bering Sea.

Sig studied Jack for a moment. She seemed sad, but compared everyone else in the crew she had managed to hold back her feelings rather well.

"The calm before the storm," she said quietly after a moment as she studied the sea, "It's gonna blow isn't it?"

Sig sighed, "Yeah…pretty bad too from what the weather reports are saying."

Jack nodded as if she already knew that would be the answer.

"So…what is it with you and Edgar?" she asked after another long moment of silence.

Sig glanced over at Jack, "What do you mean?"

"You know…like why you two can't stand to be around each other anymore. Things used to be so much fun on this boat. When I first joined, things were tense but that was mostly because a girl had been hired," said Jack with a smirk, "After awhile, after the Blake incident, things smoothed out and life was good. Everyone got along, everyone was happy…and everyone loved fishing. Now it's like everyone can't wait to get back to the dock so we can get the hell off of this boat. And it's all because of you and Edgar. So…what is it? What changed?"

Sig sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes, "Nothing…changed. Things just got worse I guess. Edgar and I never did get along real well…we just tolerated one another. I don't know I guess one argument led to another and then we just couldn't handle it anymore. One of us just had to go…and Edgar went."

"Yeah and you didn't do anything to stop him," accused Jack as she cast a glare in Sig's direction, "You didn't even try to talk to him or figure things out. Now it's too late. The crew…we tried to fix things by showing you and Edgar the old home videos of how much fun we all used to have to try and remind you both of what things used to be like…what they could _still_ be like. But that didn't work."

"Jack…this is just how things are, okay? I'm sorry that it hurt you and the crew but this is just how life is. It's not always fair."

"Do you even care?" snapped Jack as her voice rose slightly, "Because from what I've seen you really don't give a damn what happens to Edgar. As long as your precious boat is still in operation you don't care who you hurt. Is the money really more important to you than your own brother? God, Sig I know this thing means the world to you, but even your own father wouldn't have sacrificed his family for this operation. I think you've lost sight of what's important in life…you've lost focus. You aren't the same Sig I remember. The Sig I remember was a caring, loving man who loved his brothers, his crew and his family. The Sig I see now is a cold-blooded, working-machine who doesn't give a damn about who he hurts as long as he makes money."

Jack felt tears running down her cheeks as she stood up to leave, "But…I guess it's too late now because Edgar's gone and I doubt he'd ever come back even if you did ask him to. Sig…if things don't change I won't be back for Opillio season. I won't stay here and be miserable…I'll walk away from this if I have to. I don't want to but I will if it comes down to it."

Jack stood up and left the galley, wiping tears from her eyes as she left. Sig sat in his chair with a stunned expression on his face. He put his head in his hands as he absorbed what Jack had said. Was it true? Was he really that cold-blooded? He growled angrily as he pushed the throttle forward. He didn't have time to dwell on the past right now…he had to keep his eye on the prize. He had work to do.

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	7. Something's Gotta Give

**Thank you as always to those who are reading and reviewing! : ) Season finale tonight : ( Sad day…but it should be interesting! Apparently Edgar is confronting Sig about what's going on and how he feels…oy!**

Something's Gotta Give

Jack grimaced as she operated the hydraulic controls. Edgar had trained her well on them but she was still a newbie to a certain extent. Edgar had done this job nearly every day he was on the boat while she had only done it once in awhile when Edgar needed a break.

"Lower!" shouted Norman as the crew attempted to maneuver the swinging pot down onto the deck.

Jack gritted her teeth as she forced the pot to land as smoothly as possible on the launcher. She flinched when Jake had to leap out of the way as the pot swung out a bit. A wave crashed over the side of the boat, soaking the crew just as the pot landed on the launcher.

"Shouldn't we be shutting down?" called Jake over the raging seas, "I don't think we've ever worked in these conditions before."

Jack sneered, "Yeah but I don't think Sig cares. I have a feeling we'll be working through most of this storm."

Matt growled in anger at that, "This is ridiculous!" he shouted as another massive wave swamped the deck.

"Tell that to Captain Ahab," muttered Nick as he shivered with cold, "How many more pots?"

"Four left in this string," replied Jack, "Then he says we gotta haul that other string a mile or so away."

"Anyone heard the weather report?" asked Norman, "Is this thing gonna let up?"

"Last I heard it's gonna blow like hell all night," said Jake, "Possibly into tomorrow morning."

The boat lurched upwards suddenly and the crew scrambled to maintain a foothold as it crashed back down onto the raging sea, sending a wall of water across the deck.

"Okay, seriously," said Matt, "This has to stop soon…we're all gonna die."

As the crew started hauling the next pot, the sound of a buzzer sliced through the cold, night air. Jack's eyes flew wide with panic as she realized what the buzzer meant.

"Everybody get down!" she screamed as she dove behind the coiler and hung on for dear life…

…

"Oh shit," said Sig as he looked out the wheelhouse window.

A massive wall of water was quickly approaching the Northwestern. He glanced back over his shoulder to look at his crew and pressed the emergency buzzer. He prayed silently that he was not too late as he slipped under the consol and braced himself for the impact of the monstrous wave.

…

Back in Dutch Harbor, Edgar Hansen was sipping on an ice-cold beer in the Elbow Room, contemplating what had occurred over the past couple of weeks. He felt a twinge of guilt as he remembered the hurt and betrayed looks of his best friend and his fiancé as they watched him leave.

Just then the newscaster on the television hanging over the bar started to speak in an urgent and worried tone. Edgar frowned as he glanced up at the television set, "Great…now what?"

"The latest weather reports out of St. Paul Island indicate that a massive storm system is now barreling down onto the crab fishing grounds of the Bering Sea. The crab fishing fleet, currently numbered at fifty-four fishing vessels, are all reported to be out fishing at this time. Experts are saying that this is the storm of the century. Nothing of its kind has been seen since The Perfect Storm on the east coast of the United States many years ago…"

"Damn it," said Edgar quietly as panic seized him, "Damn it!"

He stood up quickly, grabbing his beer, as he stormed out of the Elbow Room and out into the frigid night air. He walked down to the docks, not sure exactly where he was intending to go, and started to pace.

He frowned as he felt the wind pick up and saw the waves lapping at the shore growing steadily larger and more frequent. He stopped for a moment and gazed out over the darkened harbor. It had been three days since he left the Northwestern but he had decided to stay in Dutch until the boat returned. He wanted to be there to see his fiancé and his friends when they were done with the season. That and he felt an immense amount of guilt for what he had done to the crew.

Despite the fact that he believed he had made the best decision given his current situation, he knew that a deck boss leaving a crab boat at the last minute was never a good thing. The crew would have had to restructure their duties and work a bit harder to make up for the one less deckhand. He hated the thought of Jack and the rest of the crew working harder to make up for his absence.

"Damn it, Sig," he muttered irritably, "What the hell happened to us?"

…

As the Northwestern tore through the massive wall of water, Jack and the crew desperately tried to hang onto whatever was available. Jack clung to the coiler while Jake crouched in behind her. Nick and Norman managed to make it back into the galley while Matt just managed to reach the door when the powerful wall of water hit.

Jack felt the water rip her away from the coiler and for a few moments she was suspended in the water. A stab of sheer panic ripped through Jack as she realized what this meant. Without anything solid to hold onto, she could very easily be swept out into the raging sea and drown before anyone could realize what had happened.

Just as quickly as it all occurred, the water receded and the Northwestern re-emerged from under the massive wave.

Jack sat up, coughing and hacking and throwing up water. She glanced around wildly and realized that she had been thrown into the stack of pots on the other side of the deck. Her head pounded painfully and she reached up to touch it. As she pulled back her hand she saw blood and moaned.

"Wonderful," she said, flinching at the pain.

She looked around to see what else or who else was around her. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Jake lying next to her, not moving.

"Jake!" she screamed as she bent down to where he lay.

Matt, Nick and Norman came rushing out of the galley when they heard Jack's cry.

"Jake!" shouted Matt in surprise when he saw the young deckhand lying face-down on the deck.

"Let's get him inside," said Nick as he and Norman bent down to lift him up.

Jack followed the other deckhands back inside the galley. As she walked down the hallway she nearly ran into a frantic-looking Sig Hansen.

"What the hell? Are you all okay?" he shouted, in a frenzied panic.

Jack just glared at him and shook her head in disgust, "Like you care," she muttered as she pushed past him and walked into the galley.

Sig felt a pang of guilt when he saw the accusation in Jack's eyes. This was his fault…whatever happened was his fault. All because he didn't want to stop working. He knew he should have stopped fishing hours ago, but he chose not to. And for what? Money? He could have lost his entire crew just because he wanted his money.

For the first time in his life Sig felt disgusted…with himself. Something had to give and it had to give soon before his entire crew fell apart…

…

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	8. Communication is Key

**So I had some more time to write today…I gotta head back to college in late August so I'm trying to write whenever I can before I have to start cleaning and packing and all that fun stuff lol. Thank you so much to those who are reading and reviewing! You guys are awesome! : ) I love reading your reviews…they make my day! Lol : ) **

Communication is Key

"What the hell happened?" moaned Jake as he opened his eyes and stared up at a very concerned looking group of deckhands.

"We took a huge wave," explained Nick, "You and Jack got the worst of it. We had to give her some stitches…top of her forehead had a good gash in it. You got knocked out. Looks like you both got thrown up into the stack of pots."

"Thank God those pots were there though," muttered Norman, "If they hadn't had been there you two would have gone right over the rail and that would have been the end of it."

Jake swallowed nervously as he contemplated how close he had just come to dying. Just then Jack walked into the galley, wincing slightly as she stretched out her torn muscles.

"We're all falling apart," muttered Nick as she sank down onto the galley floor, "Edgar's gone…Jack's got stitches in her head…Jake got knocked out…this crew is falling apart."

Matt frowned at that as he joined Nick and sat down on the floor. Jake was lying on the galley table, still trying to orient himself to his surroundings and adjust to the new pounding in his head.

"So…what do we do now?" asked Norman, "Our crew is half dead and we've lost our deck boss. How much longer can this go on before someone gets seriously hurt…or worse?"

Just then the boat heaved to starboard and groaned in complaint as a massive wave smacked into the side of the Northwestern.

Jack grabbed the counter and just barely managed to avoid falling over. She glanced around to make sure the rest of the crew was okay.

"This is one hell of a storm," she muttered, "And there's no sign of it letting up anytime soon either."

"Wonderful," snapped Matt, suddenly looking very angry, "What else can life throw at us, huh? Seriously! This is getting so damn old!"

Matt stormed out of the galley and disappeared into his stateroom. Nick looked like he was going to follow Matt but Jack stopped him.

"No Nick…let him go calm down a bit," she said as she pulled a bag of frozen peas out of the freezer and put it against her head, wincing at the contact, "He just needs some space…we all do, really."

"I wish Edgar was here," muttered Jake as he slowly sat up from the galley table, squeezing his eyes shut against the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him, "He'd deal with this…he'd know the right things to say to keep us calm. He always did. Remember that time we got caught in a huge storm and we all thought we weren't gonna make it? He got us all into the galley and taught us how to play all these different card games. Then he even cooked us a huge meal even though the boat was rocking so hard…I remember not feeling scared at all. Edgar said everything was fine and he laughed, made us laugh…it felt like there was nothing to be afraid of…I miss Edgar."

Jack frowned when she saw the desperately sad look in Jake's eyes. She knew how close Edgar and Jake had been. Edgar had been a mentor for Jake but more than that he had become like an older brother for the young deck hand. Jake practically worshipped the ground that Edgar walked on and he was having a hard time adjusting to the fact that Edgar was gone.

"It just sucks," muttered Norman, "They've been doing this crap for years…the arguing, bickering, picking on each other…but it never got this bad before. And it's not Edgar…he's not the problem. It's Sig. He's changed. It's like all he thinks about is how much money he'll make and how long he can keep the boat running each season. It's ridiculous! Since when did we do this just for the money? He's lost sight of what's important. No wonder Edgar quit…"

The crew sat quietly for a moment, thinking over everything that had happened the past few weeks. After awhile, Norman and Nick left the table and went to their stateroom to get some sleep, leaving Jake and Jack alone in the galley.

"I'm gonna go up and check on Sig," said Jack after a moment, "Maybe talk to him if he's in the mood to talk."

"Good luck," muttered Jake, "You'll need it…"

…

Jack climbed the stairs up to the wheelhouse and walked over to the co-captain's chair. She glanced over at Sig, but he seemed to be so absorbed with what was going on outside that he didn't even notice her presence.

Another huge wave rocked the boat and Jack watched Sig flinch as he maneuvered the Northwestern away from the wall of water.

"How long is this gonna keep up?" she asked after a few minutes.

Sig jumped slightly as he realized for the first time that she was in the wheelhouse with him.

"Um, I'm not sure…last weather report said it was gonna be another twenty-four hours before it moves on."

"I'm not talking about the storm," said Jack, throwing Sig a sharp, intense glare.

Sig flinched, this time not from a wave but from the intensity in Jack's hazel eyes. He swallowed nervously before he answered.

"Edgar is gone, that's over and done with, Jack. The sooner you accept that the better."

Jack narrowed her eyes and gave Sig an exasperated look, "Accept it? Sig the crew is falling apart without him here! It's not the same…not at all. Everyone's miserable, no one wants to be here anymore. It didn't used to be like this…we used to love our jobs and love coming out here and being together. Things were so much fun…I enjoyed the work. We all did…but now it's like a living hell. Everyone is upset that Edgar quit and they're frustrated that you don't understand what they're going through. All you care about is this damn boat and the money it makes. What about the rest of us, Sig? What about your crew? Your family? Your brothers? Aren't Norman and Edgar more important than any amount of money? Something has to change Sig…and soon. Because I can't promise that I'll be back next season if something doesn't change. I won't go through this anymore."

"So you're gonna quit too?" asked Sig, looking rather angry.

"Yes I am," snapped Jack, "This isn't what it used to be, Sig! This used to be so much more than just a fishing trip or making money…it used to be about being with family! You guys are the closest thing to family that I've ever had and now you're single-handedly destroying it!"

Another huge wave hit the Northwestern. The boat groaned in complaint as it moved over on its side for a brief moment before righting itself. Sig cursed the weather as he squinted through the storm and the waves before he replied to Jack.

"I…I didn't mean for things to get that bad between me and Edgar," he said quietly, "I never wanted it to come to this. We're too much alike for our own good. Our personalities clash and things just don't work as smoothly as they used to."

"Then you both need to take a step back and figure things out before you lose each other," argued Jack, "It's not like you're getting any younger, Sig and in this business any of us could go at any time. Life's too short to hate your own family."

Sig grew quiet as he stared out into the raging seas, his eyes narrowed in deep thought.

"Sig…all I'm asking is that you and Edgar sit down and talk about this," said Jack, lowering her voice, "Talk about it, not _yell_ about it. Just sit down and discuss it with him. Maybe if you guys just open the lines of communication a bit more this thing could be fixed. That's all I'm asking, Sig. I'm going to marry Edgar…and I want to be able to join your family but if things continue like this then this family is going to be split in half and that's the last thing any of us want to happen…so, please…just talk to him. I'm begging you at this point…just talk it out."

Sig glanced over at Jack and saw the emotion welling up in her eyes. She glanced away quickly and wiped away the tears. She drew in a long, shaky breath while she waited for Sig to reply.

"Okay," he said after a while, "I'll talk to him…I can't promise it'll make anything better, but I'll talk to him. Okay? So can you stop crying?"

Jack couldn't help but laugh a little at that. Sig hated it when people cried around him…it made him very nervous.

"I'll try," she said with a smile.

Sig smirked as he turned back to gaze out into the enraged Bering Sea.

"Well…if we make it outta this storm we'll be heading in for an offload. If he's still in Dutch I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Sig," said Jack as she walked over to hug him, "Thank you…"

…

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	9. Someone Better Warn Norman

**Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing this story! Sorry for the delayed update…crazy busy weekend along with packing and organizing to head back to college at the end of the month kept me rather occupied. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! : )**

**Disclaimer: As always…I own no one but my OC Jack **

Someone Better Warn Norman

Jack narrowed her eyes, straining to see the lone figure standing at the dock. She prayed that it was Edgar as the boat drew closer and closer to the dock. Soon she recognized the devil-may-care posture and almost bored look on the individual's face as he waited for the boat to tie up.

"Edgar!" shouted Jack as she climbed over the railing and jumped onto the dock before the boat had stopped moving.

"You're crazy, you know that?" laughed Edgar as he held his fiancé in his arms, overjoyed to see her again.

"I learned from the best," retorted Jack with a smirk, "I'm surprised you're here…I figured you'd have flown back to Seattle by now."

Edgar shrugged, "Thought about it…but I wanted to see you."

Edgar frowned when he looked up and saw Sig exit the wheelhouse and make his way off the boat and onto the dock. Jack turned back to Edgar and gave him a stern look.

"He wants to talk…please be nice, okay?"

"I'm not the one…"

"Ed…please," hissed Jack as Sig walked over to them.

"Hey," he muttered as he glanced at his little brother.

"Hi," grumbled Edgar as he looked away.

"Okay…well…while you two talk I'll help with the offloading," announced Jack as she quickly backed away from the two very tense brothers.

"So," began Edgar, "Jack says you want to talk to me about something?"

"Yeah…I wanted to talk to you about what's been going on the past few weeks…and the past few years for that matter," said Sig as he cleared his throat awkwardly, "How 'bout we do it over a beer at the Elbow Room?"

Edgar shrugged and started to walk in that direction. Sig sighed in frustration as he followed his little brother. He was definitely not looking forward to this at all…

…

"So…what do you want to talk about?" muttered Edgar as he sipped on his beer and glanced out the window toward the dock.

Sig sighed and took a good long swig of beer before he answered, "The way things went down…between you and me."

Edgar sneered and looked away, "Didn't know there was anything left to say."

"There's a lot left to say, actually," muttered Sig.

Edgar looked up at him and studied his older brother's face. He looked stressed, tired, and maybe even a touch guilty? Edgar couldn't remember ever seeing Sig look guilty or even show a sign that he had a conscience when it came to how he dealt with him or Norman.

"And that would be?" pressed Edgar, looking interested.

"I shouldn't have fired you," muttered Sig, "That was a bone-headed move on my part. I was angry and sick of dealing with this crap between us so I just kicked you off the boat. It seemed like the best choice considering the way things were going. But the crew didn't react very well to it at all. Jack has barely said a word to me until 'the intervention' in the wheelhouse. The momentum on deck has slowed down considerably and things aren't operating as smoothly as they did when you were around."

"So what?" snapped Edgar, "You want me back? Should have thought about that…give me one damn good reason I should work for you ever again. Because the way I see it is that I'd join the boat again, everyone would be happy, then a few days maybe a week or two later we'd be right back in this very spot again. I don't see the point, Sig, sorry."

Edgar stood up to leave but Sig reached up and grabbed his arm and gave Edgar a pleading look.

"Ed, I'm not done," he said quietly.

Edgar narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he sat back down on the bar stool.

"Look," began Sig, looking increasingly uncomfortable, "I screwed up things between us a long time ago. Remember the way we were when we were just kids? We both would pick fights with Norman and he would always win them, so we got smart. We realized that if we teamed up against him then he couldn't beat us both at the same time. I'll never forget the look on Norm's face the day we figured that out. We used to make that poor kid so angry…"

Edgar's laugh interrupted Sig, "Yeah I remember."

"We were partners in crime," said Sig with a wistful smile, "I was the loud, dominate one and you were the quiet, cunning partner. I was the brawn and you were the brains of the operation. Then Dad started getting older and he wanted to teach me how to fish. Of course I wanted to, you remember how I got when I started getting older. I was ambitious and I wanted to be just like Dad. I signed up the moment I could and never looked back. I was so busy working my way up that ladder that I didn't even remember the life I'd left behind…you and Norman. Norm joined when I was a deck boss and he didn't seem opposed to working for me so there was no issue. But by the time you came aboard I was already practicing in the captain's chair. You got the short end of the stick. Norm never wanted to be in control…he was always content to be in the background of things. But you and I are totally different creatures…we like being in control, we like having authority. But you were stuck with deck boss as the apex of your climb. You never had the chance to be captain because I took that from you."

"Sig I don't want to be captain," said Edgar.

"No, I know that," said Sig, "It's just the principle of the matter…I never paid any attention to how you might have felt about working for me. We went from being partners to being boss and employee. I stopped treating you like an equal and it screwed things up. I saw the change…the distance that we started putting between us. I saw it happening but I wasn't willing to fix it because I wanted to be captain so bad that it hurt. I put my career, that damn boat and that damn chair over you, my brother. I realize that now…I didn't see it fully then but I made the biggest mistake of my life all those years ago. And for that I'm sorry, Edgar. You are my partner…my brother. We are equals regardless of who is at the rail and who is on the chair, it doesn't matter…it shouldn't matter. I'm sorry that I made things the way they are, and if you come back I'll do my best to change that."

Edgar sat at the bar quietly for a long moment, his eyes glued to his beer as he thought over what Sig had said.

"So you mean we'll be like we were when we were kids?" he said with a slight smirk on his face.

"Yeah…just like that," said Sig, "Why?"

Edgar's eyes glinted with mischief as his smile broadened, "Because someone better warn Norman…"

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	10. Epilogue: Blood on Blood

**Here it is! The last installment of this story! Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story and my other stories this summer! I'm afraid this is gonna be my last update for this summer…I have to leave to head back to college in 2 weeks so I'm swamped with packing and cleaning and doing some last minute things with my coast guard auxiliary flotilla before I head out. But no worries I will return! Maybe even do a story during Christmas break…I'll keep writing in my journals and coming up with new ideas for the next time I get to write a DC story! : )**

**NOTE: The title of this chapter and the lyrics are by Bon Jovi! (My all-time favorite band!) I did change the names to match my story (No Jon Bon Jovi did not use Edgar and Norman in his original song rofl!) **

**DISCLAIMER: I own no one except for my OC Jack**

Blood on Blood

_I can still remember,  
When I was just a kid,  
When friends were friends forever,  
And what you said was what you did,  
Well, it was me and Norman and Edgar,  
We cut each other's hands,  
And held tight to a promise,  
Only brothers understand,  
But we were so young (so young),  
One for all and all for one (for one),  
Just as sure as the river's gonna run,  
Blood on blood,  
One on one,  
We'd still be standing,  
When all was said and done,  
Blood on blood,  
One on one,  
And I'll be here for you,  
Till Kingdom come,  
Blood on blood_

Jack paced nervously on the deck of the Northwestern. She glanced over at the dock for the hundredth time as she chewed on a nail anxiously.

"What do you think is going on?" muttered Jake as he, Norman, Matt and Nick stood on the deck, fidgeting and giving each other nervous glances.

"One of two things," answered Nick, "Either they're working things out, or they're killing each other."

"My guess is they're killing each other," sneered Matt.

"My money's on Edgar," said Norman with a smirk on his face.

"You're betting on which one of your brothers survive?" asked Nick with a laugh.

Norman just nodded, his eyes glittering with amusement as he pictured what must be going on in the Elbow Room.

"There they are!" announced Jack as she pointed down the dock.

"Hurry! Act like we were working or something!" said Nick as he ran over to a pot and pretended to repair an imaginary hole. Matt pretended to be scrubbing down the coiler while Jake and Jack tended to the bait area as the two Hansen brothers climbed onto the boat.

"You're all crappy actors," said Edgar with a smirk as he walked over to his fiancé and gave her a hug.

"How'd things go?" she whispered in his ear as she hugged Edgar.

"Great…surprisingly."

Jack raised a surprise eyebrow at that and looked back over at Sig. He appeared to be in good spirits as he climbed back up to the wheelhouse and started barking out orders to his crew.

"So…you're back?" asked Jack, still feeling rather confused.

"Oh yeah, baby…I'm back. And I don't think I'll be going anywhere for a very long time."

…

"WHAT THE HELL!"

Jack, Jake, Nick and Matt all jumped in surprise when they heard Norman yell.

"What's going on?" asked Jack as she watched Norman stomp angrily off the deck and back into the galley.

"What the hell was that?" asked Nick.

"Since when does Norman ever get angry?" asked Matt, "And where the hell is Edgar?"

…

Sig and Edgar laughed uproariously in the wheelhouse as they listened to their brother's cries of anger and frustration.

"Was that the third pair of socks?" asked Edgar as he doubled over with laughter.

"How many times is he gonna have to change those things before he realizes what we did to his boots?" chocked Sig as he struggled to breathe in-between bouts of laughter.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU GUYS!" roared Norman from down in the galley, causing Sig and Edgar to laugh even harder.

They stopped laughing abruptly when they heard pounding on the wheelhouse door.

"You locked it right?" asked Sig.

"Of course…are you kidding me?" asked Edgar, "I'd never leave that thing unlocked after pulling a prank on Norm! We'd be dead in five seconds."

A few minutes went by and Edgar and Sig began to relax as they realized that Norman had given up on his sworn revenge.

Suddenly, the door knob started to move a little and the sound of tinkling metal could be heard. Edgar's face suddenly paled as he looked over at Sig in horror.

"Damn it!" screamed Sig just as Norman finished picking the lock and entered the wheelhouse.

Norman had a blow torch in one hand and a can of hairspray in the other.

"Hello brothers," he said with a rather scary looking smile on his face, "You know what they say about revenge…"

…

The crew of the Northwestern stopped working the second they heard cries of terror coming from the wheelhouse.

"Now what?" muttered Matt as he turned to see what was going on.

Suddenly a ball of fire exploded in the wheelhouse.

"What the hell?" shouted Nick.

A few moments later, Norman re-emerged on deck with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Norm…what just happened?" asked Jack, hesitantly.

"My brothers, since they're getting along again, decided they'd try and do what they used to do when we were kids…gang up on me. They drilled holes in my boots so small that I wouldn't be able to really notice them. So naturally after I realized what they had done I had to remind them why it's never a good idea to mess with me."

"So you set the wheelhouse on fire?" laughed Jake as he pictured the looks on Sig and Edgar's faces.

"Something like that," smirked Norman as he took his position near the rail.

"Stormin' Norman strikes again!" laughed Nick just as Edgar walked hesitantly back out onto the deck.

He gave Norman a wide berth and walked over to Jack.

"I think I lost some eyebrow hair," he muttered as he tentatively touched his eyebrows, "He caught Sig's shirt on fire…that was pretty frickin' hilarious. Sig was slapping himself, trying to get the flames to die."

Norman chuckled as he manned the hydraulics, "Just like the good old days…I always won then and like they say, some things never change…"

"No they don't," said Edgar with a satisfied and happy smile on his face, "Thank God some things never do."

"Well, it's like they say," said Sig Hansen as he walked out on deck and put an arm around Edgar's shoulders, "Blood's thicker than water. You can't really ever destroy the connection between brothers, no matter how hard you try."

Jack smiled as she watched Sig, Edgar and Norman goofing off and punching each other. For the first time in a very long time they were acting just like they should…like brothers.

…

_Through the years and miles between us,  
It's been a long and lonely ride,  
But if I got a call in the dead of the night,  
I'd be right by your side,  
Blood on blood _

**The End**

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